sausage balls
Oh hello. Happy Christmas Eve. I’m tipsy but thinking about this little corner of the interwebs because I have been cooking up a storm ever since I hopped off the plane in my favorite city. In preparation for tomorrow’s customary feast I’ve made cheesy hashbrown casserole (aka funeral potatoes), cream braised brussels, seven layer salad, these sausage balls, our fave brownies, and a bourbon pecan pie, which my mother specifically requested (“bourbon pecan pie, baby, not just pecan, okay?”).
It’s truly so much food. Tomorrow I’ll make stuffing and roast a chicken, then I’ll warm everything up for one big meal and it’s going to be epic. Sure, there’ll be tons of leftovers, but I have a friend who loves stuffing who’s coming by(!!), so I’ve got backup on that at least. And in case I haven’t mentioned yet, I’m the queen of leftovers. I will absolutely eat the same food repurposed 10 different ways and take pleasure in it. There are 3 slices of bacon and half a carton of eggs left over from the prep today and you better believe I have plans for a bacon, egg, and cheesy hashbrown breakfast or 4 over the next week.
Anyway, these are the simplest, most scrumptious meat cookies you’ll ever have. I had to physically remove myself from their presence earlier today to keep from making them all disappear. Also, I said meat cookies. Ho ho ho!
Sausage Balls
Makes 30 - 40 ballz
1 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded*
1 package (16 oz) breakfast sausage (think Jimmy Dean, either sage or hot flavor)
*option to replace 4 oz of the cheddar with 4 oz of softened cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C)
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or your hands until all chunks of butter are pea-sized or smaller. Add the cheese (cheddar and/or cream) and sausage and mix with your hands until uniformly combined.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and portion into roughly 1-2 tablespoon portions, lining them out on the baking sheet. A cookie scoop could be helpful here. Roll each portion into a smooth ball. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
They are excellent when warm but also very good both when hot and room temp, even cold. Try them with a dipping sauce: maple syrup for sweetness or mustard for tang.
